Into the Spotlight: A Little Mermaid Remix

Chapter 6

Backstage again, after the show, Kayden was talking himself through what had happened.

His magic had been completely unleashed on a single target and he did not know why.

This never happened! He always had complete and utter control! Even when he was angry, his eyes never flashed blue anymore unless he let them.

He shut his eyes tight and pulled up the memory again.

*v*

"But, as Elizabeth Quentian Graham, it is my honor to introduce you to..."

Lizzie gave him a subtle wink before walking backward, off the stage.

"Oceania Remembered!"

Kayden hopped up onto the stage in a single leap, plugging his guitar into the speaker and looking out at the crowd.

They had been so quiet before, and now they were deafening, determined to all outshine each other in individually showing him their enthusiasm and their love.

All for him... and yet not for him at all.

For who they thought he was. For who he let them think he was.

It was better not to dwell on it.

He put a blinding smile on his face and waved back at the crowd, scanning all the faces. On a whim, his eyes darted up to the always empty royal box. He almost took a step backward when he saw it wasn't empty anymore.

Five people were sitting in the royal box, two women, two men, and a little girl. One of the women who he recognized as Princess Willow waved at him, while the others only stared.

Kayden did a quick calculation. From the way the audience was acting, he knew they hadn't seen the royals. They'd been too fixated on him. He wasn't an expert, but he was fairly sure this wasn't a good thing, and it might offend the royal family.

He couldn't have that.

He tapped his microphone and greeted his fans.

"How are we all doing tonight?"

They shouted at him, screaming their response in a deafening roar of sound. He laughed slightly.

"That good, huh? Well let's see if we can make it even better!"

The audience responded with a resounding yes, ecstatic and impatient to hear him sing. He held up a hand, deciding to point out the royalty they'd neglected in their enthusiasm.

"Before the first song, I think we should all give a greeting to the special guest here with us tonight. And no, it's not me! I signed up for this."

Chuckles, giggles, and laughter resounded through the audience and reverberated off the walls. And he was also fairly sure he heard a few shouts of, "I love you!"

How ironic.

He turned slightly and waved up at the royals in the box. "Don't you think you should also give a welcome to Prince Liam and his sister Princess Willow?"

The audience followed his lead and gesture with surprise. He'd been right.

He pushed the shock and implications of having royalty listen to him as emotions to focus on later. Preferably, when he was alone in his dressing room and no one was around to hear him make an unmanly squeal.

The look on all of the royals' faces was priceless. Especially Prince Liam. He looked like someone had clubbed him over the head. The little girl was practically hanging out of the box, determined to wave to as many people as possible. Prince Ashton stepped forward and slightly pulled her back, and Kayden used that as an opportunity to point him out.